Frameworks – ‘Time Spent’ EP Preview

It’s always good to get new music from a trusted source and there are those to whom I can always turn if looking for something different. Recently I was pointed in the direction of Frameworks’ who were described as “an interesting band who somehow manage to create music that exists where Explosions in the Sky and Envy meet. The new EP ‘Time Spent’ (due out 5th February) shows a darker side of the band as they incorporate industrial noise and synths into their trademark sound of lustrous, shimmering guitars over a dominating beat. Only two tracks, this EP provides sneak peek into the band’s future, another full length due out later in 2016.” Clearly an intriguing mix, I checked out the release which is set to appear at the start of 2016 and was instantly hooked.

Mixing up brutal screams and pounding beats with skyscraping guitars and hints of synth, it could oh-so-loosely be described as screamo, but the variation and nuances found within the shimmering guitar work offers so much more than that denomination hints at. The heralded incorporation of synths is dealt with expertly and adds something to the music without washing over it, and the track ends far too quickly. Released by Topshelf records’, it’s also worth pointing out that “A dollar from every pre-order of the Clear with Black Smoke variant will be donated to UN Refugee Agency to help with the crisis in Syria.” This is a laudable goal and it speaks volumes about the humanity of the label that their rationale is that “Our community can do positive things and this is a small way for us to bind together and raise awareness for good causes.” At a time when so many seem hell-bent on withdrawing behind the false lines of statehood and withdrawing from the wider world, it’s heartening to see that there are still those forward looking enough to gaze out into the world and try to change it for the better.

If ‘time spent’ is indeed an indicator of Frameworks’ future, then it is looking bright indeed.